Concern as new solar farms set to get green light in Great Wilbraham, Croydon and Bassingbourn

Three more solar farms are set to spark up in the south Cambridgeshire countryside.

Applications for arrays in Great Wilbraham, Croydon and Bassingbourn are set to planning permission next week despite opposition from villagers over the impact on the landscape.

The proposals come after the district was named as Britain’s solar panel capital, boasting more installations than anywhere else.

The applications will go before South Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday.

The Great Wilbraham application is for a 63-hectare (156-acre) site immediately to the south-east of the A11, less than a mile south-west of Six Mile Bottom.

The 30 megawatt installation has won the backing of Great Wilbraham Parish Council, which said it was “aware of the Government’s targets regarding renewable energy”, but is opposed by parish councils for Fulbourn, West Wratting, Little Wilbraham and Six Mile Bottom.

Little Wilbraham and Six Mile Bottom Parish Council said it was concerned about the ‘industrial scale’ of the solar park, pointing out it would “encompass the residential areas of the villages of Great Wilbraham, Little Wilbraham and Six Mile Bottom, possibly with some space to spare.”

The loss of agricultural land is a concern, as is the cumulative impact with the nearby Camgrain store and Wadlow Wind Farm, according to the council.

In its consultation response, the council said: “The addition of the proposed solar farm would create an industrial area.”

However, a report to councillors from planning director Jo Mills said the impact on the countryside could be mitigated with additional landscaping.

She said: “On balance, the benefits of the scheme in respect of renewable energy production are considered to outweigh the harm over the temporary loss of agricultural productivity.”

The Croydon application is for a 21.6 megawatt solar farm with approximately 82,944 panels – enough to power 4,860 homes – north of Manor Farm in Church Lane. Croydon Parish Council and the Campaign to Protect Rural England have objected, warning views from footpaths would become “more reminiscent of a factory landscape that a rural one”.

The Bassingbourn scheme is for is for a 14.4 megawatt solar farm with about 55,300 panels, enough to power 3,240 homes, south of Bury Farm in Spring Lane.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England is concerned about views from Therfield Heath but on both applications Ms Mills said landscaping could solve any problems.